Abstract

There are numerous hypotheses about why people stutter, none of which have been fully validated. It is even a possibility that there is no single “cause” of stuttering, and that it is instead a multifactorial, dynamic disorder with ever-changing underlying processes (Guitar 96). In short, the unsolved nature of stuttering makes it a considerably complex topic. During the initial research for this project, it became apparent that few resources exist for people who stutter that actually explained the theories of stuttering in a way that they could be understood by a general audience. There also exist a great deal of myths and assumptions surrounding stuttering (Reitzes and Snyder) which facilitate this lack of knowledge on the subject. Additionally, these myths have a tendency to lead to lowered self-esteem in people who stutter, especially children, who are likely targets for bullying and mockery (Newman and Newman 290). An effective therapeutic technique to help stutterers with negative attitudes is to speak openly about it and to educate others (Guitar 280). In order to do this, people who stutter must first be introduced to the current theories explaining stuttering. This was accomplished with an animation addressed to stuttering children of middle school age. Through the use of metaphor, clear visuals, and an engaging narrative, some key factors of stuttering were explained in a simplified and entertaining manner. By providing this knowledge, the goal through this project was to destigmatize stuttering and instill confidence in the animation's target audience for future speaking situations.